Horace Heffner wrote:
Richard Feynman and John Wheeler calculated there is enough energy
*available* (but not manifest) from the vacuum fluctuations in a
light bulb to boil the seas.
The problem with accessing zero point energy is there is a very low
energy density unless sub-nuclear sized wavelengths can be
manipulated. Zero point energy is manifest in nuclear temperatures,
i.e. uncertainty regarding sub-nuclear particle locations. This is a
real effect that is measurable.
I gather it is real, but the Feynman & Wheeler conclusion seems like
an outlandish violation of the conservation of mass-energy. Of
course, 110 years ago, the notion of mass and energy being equivalent
was outlandish. Also, no one imagined that you could make two atomic
clocks, put one 10 meters below the other, and have it run measurably
slower because gravity slows down time. Even measuring time on that
scale would have seemed impossible, not to mention slowing it down.
I do not know know enough about physics to judge.
As far as I know, there is no evidence that cold fusion violates
mass-energy conservation. On the contrary, it seems to balance out
nicely, given the mass loss from fusing deuterons to form helium.
- Jed
